The voices of their discourse gradually faded, but the Daoist aura filling Wuzhuang Temple lingered for a long time, hazy as smoke and mist, winding among every plant and blade of grass in the courtyard and every blue stone.
Zhenyuanzi, Hong Yun, and Lord Wanshouyuan sat quietly where they were, their eyes half-closed and their expressions calm as still water, each immersed in the insights they had gained from their recent exchange on the Great Dao.
Though this discourse had involved no contest of supernatural abilities, it had been a clash of Daoist hearts and wisdom.
Zhenyuanzi's Way of the Great Earth was weighty and all-embracing, Hong Yun's Path of Freedom was nimble and transcendent, and Lord Wanshouyuan's Way of Wood brimmed with vitality. The three ways confirmed and inspired one another.
Many subtle points they had overlooked in their past cultivation suddenly became clear;
some obstacles along the Dao that had troubled them for a long time had also revealed opportunities for breakthroughs through their exchange.
Though their realms had not directly improved, their foundations had grown firmer, their understanding of their own paths had deepened, and the road ahead had become clearer.
Qingfeng and Mingyue, the two young Daoist attendants standing off to the side, also had rosy faces, their auras smooth and clear.
They had only just entered the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm, and now was precisely the time to strengthen their foundations.
Though they could not fully grasp the profound mysteries as they listened to three Great Luo Golden Immortals discuss the Dao, every word of their exquisite teachings and the lingering Daoist aura they naturally emanated were the finest nourishment for the two attendants.
The restlessness in their auras, brought on by their recent breakthrough, had been soothed. Their Primordial Unity Dharma Power flowed with increasing ease, and their realms had fully stabilized.
The two youngsters exchanged delighted smiles, their admiration for their three masters growing even stronger.
When everyone had returned from their insights, Zhenyuanzi slowly opened his eyes.
The divine light in his gaze was restrained, making him seem all the more profound and unfathomable.
His gaze swept across the courtyard, finally settling beyond the Longevity Mountain, shrouded by the Innate Great Earth Formation, on the vast and primordial Western Continent of the Primordial Wilderness.
As his thoughts turned, he had already grasped the state of the world.
The Primordial Wilderness had not been created long ago. All things were newly born, and the path of cultivation remained in chaos.
Aside from those Xiantian God-Demons with deep roots who had inherited memories from birth, and the Dragon, Phoenix, and Kirin Three Races, which had already risen to prominence and established themselves through inherited bloodlines, along with their affiliated clans,
there were also the Remnant Souls of Chaos Demon Gods that had fortuitously survived with their memories intact. Aside from them, most beings in the Primordial Wilderness were still ignorant and uncomprehending.
These beings might have been able to absorb spiritual energy by instinct and possessed formidable strength, yet they lacked a clear understanding of the realms of cultivation. They had no systematic cultivation methods to guide them, knew nothing of supernatural abilities or transformations, and did not understand Karma and Karmic Force.
They had to feel their way along the path of cultivation, like blind men carrying candles through the night. It was not only exceedingly difficult, but also easy to stray onto the wrong path—or even lose control of their power and suffer Death and Dao Extinction.
Zhenyuanzi knew that this state of affairs would persist far into the future, until Dao Ancestor Hongjun lectured on the Great Dao at Zixiao Palace and showed all living beings the way forward.
But that was for the future. The present was the best time to act.
Zhenyuanzi rose to his feet and strode steadily to the front of Wuzhuang Temple.
With a thought, the vast Dharma Power of a Peak Great Luo Golden Immortal surged forth from within him like an ocean, merging with the power of the Earth Veins of Longevity Mountain and stirring subtle changes in the Innate Great Earth Formation. He did not fully activate the formation, but instead skillfully opened a channel for his voice to travel through.
The next moment, he spoke in a clear, resonant voice, without relying on the air to carry it.
Instead, imbued with Supreme Dharma Power and the laws of the Great Earth, his words became a surging river of thought. They spread like ripples, like the low rumble of the earth, transcending the limits of space and resounding clearly in the minds of every sentient being across the Western Primordial Lands whose cultivation was lower than his:
"I am Zhenyuanzi of Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain. Today, I shall lecture on the Great Dao here and expound the principles of cultivation. All who are Destined may come and listen!"
His voice was grand and peaceful, imbued with a weight and authority that inspired trust, like the call of the Mother Goddess of the Earth.
For a time, across the Western Continent of the Primordial Wilderness, whether they were fierce beasts locked in battle, Mountain Spirits and Wild Monsters engaged in Secluded Cultivation, or newly awakened Spirits of Plants and Trees, all who had attained sentience felt a stirring in their hearts. They stopped what they were doing as one and looked toward Longevity Mountain, an inexplicable longing rising within them.
Zhenyuanzi had a deeper purpose in doing this. First, educating living beings and awakening their intelligence was an act in accordance with the Heavenly Dao, and would naturally bring him merit.
At the same time, gathering living beings to hear his lecture could also consolidate Fortune for the Longevity Mountain Lineage, greatly benefiting the path of cultivation.
Second, he was also laying groundwork for the future.
The beings born at the beginning of the world, regardless of their roots, generally far surpassed those of later generations in talent and potential.
If he could select and cultivate the best among them, they would surely become a force to be reckoned with.
He had resolved to make his mark. He and Hong Yun, along with a few of his avatars, were ultimately too few in number; he needed to establish a faction of his own.
This lecture was the first step in selecting and attracting talent.
Once his message had gone out, Karma had been set in motion.
Zhenyuanzi clearly sensed countless thoughts, some strong and some weak, some distinct and some vague, rising from every corner of the Western Continent. Filled with curiosity, longing, hesitation, and reverence, they turned toward Longevity Mountain.
Some who were nearby and quick to act had already begun heading in that direction.
He turned to Hong Yun and Lord Wanshouyuan. "The lecture is about to begin. We still need to make some preparations."
Hong Yun clapped his hands and laughed. "This is a noble undertaking. I shall do everything I can to help." He was also eager to see what Destined beings from all over would come.
Lord Wanshouyuan nodded. "I'll take care of everything that needs doing in the temple."
Qingfeng and Mingyue were already thrilled. The two young attendants had never seen anything like this.
At the thought of countless beings from beyond arriving at Longevity Mountain, they couldn't help whispering excitedly to each other, their little faces full of anticipation and curiosity.
At his instruction, they immediately straightened up and replied in bright voices, "Don't worry, Master. We'll work hard!"
Zhenyuanzi nodded slightly, acknowledging their offer to help.
He said no more, sinking his thoughts into his sea of consciousness and establishing a deeper connection with the "Classic of Mountains and Seas," the Book of the Earth.
With a slight wave of his sleeve, a vast stream of Earth-Yellow Divine Light surged from within him, gentle yet weighty. It resonated with the core of Longevity Mountain's Earth Veins, and the entire sacred mountain let out a deep hum.
The next moment, the area outside the Mountain Gate of Wuzhuang Temple began to undergo a startling transformation.
The rugged, undulating terrain was smoothed by an invisible force, as if by a giant hand.
Rocks sank into the earth, ravines were filled with Wutu Essence Qi, and the ground became level and smooth, gleaming with a pale-yellow jade luster as natural Daoist patterns faintly flowed across it.
Clouds and mist surged together around it, but stopped of their own accord at the area's edge, forming an ethereal barrier. It preserved the wide-open view while adding to the mystery of this immortal sanctuary.
As the Book of the Earth stirred the veins of the land, vast quantities of Innate Spiritual Qi surged forth from Longevity Mountain's ancestral vein and the surrounding Earth Veins, gathering into a faint Spirit Mist above the platform. With every breath, one could feel their Dharma Power subtly increasing.
Around the platform's edge, the earth rose naturally into a number of stone tables and stools.
These stone seats looked simple, yet they conformed to the Ultimate Truth of Heaven and Earth. Their surfaces were as smooth as mirrors, and they radiated a coolness that calmed the mind. Clearly, they had been prepared for cultivators.
Zhenyuanzi intended to draw upon his Supreme Dharma Power and the Book of the Earth's ability to command the veins of the land to create a lecture plaza outside Wuzhuang Temple, large enough to hold tens of thousands of beings.
It needed to display the dignity and grandeur of a Great Luo Golden Immortal's sacred ground while ensuring that those who came could enjoy a comfortable environment for comprehending the Dao.
As the lecture site took shape, a solemn and venerable atmosphere, one that inspired longing, spread outward from Longevity Mountain.
Across the Western Primordial Lands, undercurrents stirred at Zhenyuanzi's words. A gathering that would soon affect the fates of countless beings was about to begin here.
Countless gazes and countless hopes were crossing mountains and rivers, converging upon this place.
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